


I Adore How Much You Care For Me

by OHSHC_Trash_14



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: It's fall in Moominvalley y'all know what that means, M/M, Snufkin is very in love with Moomin but he'd never say it out loud, sorry about the short chapters though, the chapters are very short I just think it works better split up this way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24856393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OHSHC_Trash_14/pseuds/OHSHC_Trash_14
Summary: Snufkin realizes he could use a new feather for his hat, and Moomin is determined to find the perfect one before Snufkin leaves for the winter.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin, it's only implied really
Comments: 6
Kudos: 54





	1. A Red Feather

“Snufkin,” Moomin said as they stood together at the river bank.

“Yes Moomin?”

“That feather in your hat, have you ever thought about replacing it?”

Snufkin took off his hat and inspected the red feather. It was certainly looking worse than he remembered.

“Oh. Well I’ve had this hat since I was very young, feather and all. I couldn’t dream of getting rid of it.”

“We wouldn’t have to get rid of it.”

Snufkin was amused, and smiled. “What do you suggest we do with the old feather then?”

Moomin sat down on the river bank and thought. Snufkin put his hat back on before joining him.

Suddenly, Moomin perked up again.

“I know what we’ll do!”

“What?”

“We’ll find a safe place to keep the old feather, and I’ll find you one like it myself.”

Snufkin’s expression wasn’t giving Moomin any clues as to if he liked the idea or not.

“Say you’ll let me try, Snufkin. Please?”

“Of course I will. Although winter’s on its way, and I don’t know how much luck you’ll have tracking down a feather with all the birds gone.”

Moomin stood up again, and crossed over the bridge, towards the trees.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll find you a new feather before you leave Moominvalley, you’ll see!” He smiled wide.

Snufkin leaned back against a rock on the bank. It was truly amazing how much Moomin cared for him.


	2. The Search Begins

Moomin spent days looking in the woods for a red feather. He looked on the ground, he climbed up trees, and he asked around, but he wasn’t having any luck. Moomin decided to ask Mr. Hemulen, because while he’d never expressed a great interest in birds, he did seem to know a lot about a lot of things.

“Mr. Hemulen, Mr. Hemulen,” Moomin said as he made his way over through the flower patch. 

“Yes Moomin? Is something the matter?” 

“I’m looking for a feather to give to Snufkin, but I don’t seem to be having any luck finding one.” 

“A feather for Snufkin,” Mr. Hemulen thought out loud. “Well what kind of bird’s feather are you looking for?”

“I’m not really sure. Snufkin’s had the old one so long he doesn’t know where it came from. But it’s the feather he always has in his hat, it’s long and red.”

“Ah yes. Well for that at this time of year, you’ll be looking for something like a male cardinal. They have long tail feathers which are a splendid shade of red.” 

“Thank you Mr. Hemulen! I’m sure Snufkin would like that very much.” Moomin began on his way again. 

“Oh, no trouble at all..” He went back to inspecting a flower, while thinking out loud. “However those birds tend to spend their time in bushes, so I do hope Moomin doesn’t get hurt looking for one.” 

Moomin spent the rest of that day looking around Moominvalley for a cardinal. It proved unsuccessful, and he went back home for dinner. 

“Oh Moomin, what’s wrong?” Moominmamma asked. “You’ve hardly touched your supper.”

“I’ve spent all afternoon looking for a cardinal bird and I can’t find one.” 

“What are you doing looking for a bird?” Little My asked. 

“I need a red feather to give to Snufkin before he leaves for the winter.”

“Snufkin already has a feather in his hat, why does he need another one?” After her question, Little My went back to eating dinner. This didn’t seem all that interesting to her. 

“He said he wanted a new one, and I offered to find it,” Moomin insisted. 

“Snufkin said that, huh?” Moominpappa said to himself. It didn’t really sound like something Snufkin would say, but he wasn’t going to press the matter.

  
  



	3. Pine Needles

The last few days of fall came, and all around the valley people were preparing for the winter, whether they hibernated or not. Moomin and Snorkmaiden were out gathering pine needles when she noticed something. 

“Moomin, look at that bird. Isn’t it pretty? It’s so red.” 

“Red?” Moomin looked up from the basket of pine needles on the ground between them. Sure enough, on a low branch of the tree sat a red bird with long tail feathers.

‘It must be a cardinal!’ Moomin thought. He knelt down on the ground to climb under the tree. 

“Moomin? Moomin, what are you doing?” Snorkmaiden asked. 

“I’m looking for a feather!”

“A feather? Still?” 

Despite her disbelief, Snorkmaiden got down under the tree as well. There was no sense in not helping to look, it would make it all go faster and they could get out of the cold.

They both perked up when they saw a small patch of red on the ground amongst the dried needles. Moomin reached for it carefully, and brushed the needles away before picking it up. 

They climbed out from under the tree and looked at the feather.

“It’s very pretty Moomin. What did you want with it again?” 

“It’s to give to Snufkin! We better hurry and finish with the pine needles, I want to have this ready to give to him before he leaves.”

  
  



	4. Parting With a Gift

After a lovely dinner of pine needle and pumpkin related dishes, the moomin family and their close friends relaxed in their living room. It was a celebration of sorts of course, this was their last day before they’d hibernate til spring. 

Moomin had brought Snufkin up to his room, with the promise of a special surprise. 

“What have you brought me up here for this time, Moomin? I hope it’s not another dragon.” 

Moomin laughed, and smiled at Snufkin. “No, it’s better than that.” 

“Better than a dragon? I wonder what it could be.” 

Moomin took a thin wooden box out from his desk drawer, and handed it to Snufkin. “Go on, open it.” 

Snufkin slid the box open, and inside was a beautiful red feather, carefully covered with a piece of cloth. “Oh Moomin. How did you find this?”

“It took me a long time, and I had some help. But I got you a new feather like I said I would. And you can put the old one in the box if you want, that was mamma’s idea when I told her about all this.” 

Snufkin took his hat off and carefully switched the feathers. He slid the box closed with the old feather safely inside it, and hugged Moomin. 

“This is such a lovely gift, I wish I had something to give you.” 

“Promise me you’ll come back again in the spring?” 

Snufkin pulled away gently, so he could look at Moomin while he spoke. “I promise. I’ll be in Moominvalley come the spring, you’ll hardly know I was gone.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like y'all should know that I wrote this at 3am also that the google doc is called "Let's Fill Moominvalley With Gay"

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for the Moomin series, so if there's any characterization things I could improve on please let me know!   
> Also I've only watched the version of the show from the 90s so there may be things I don't know that this story contradicts. Oops.


End file.
